by Rebecca Fasanello
Office Manager, Content
WNET.ORG

Latin music permeates the air of New York City: It’s in the streets, the clubs, the subways, the classroom, the concert stage, in our homes and schools. Like all the arts, it’s at once a stimulus, a playground, and a reflection of humanity. It can fire up our souls and send us soaring. Why does it have such wide appeal?

In order to explore this appeal, I helped produce these four short “interstitials” as locally-aired companion pieces to PBS’s Latin Music USA series, which premiered nationally in October 2009.

Read More …

How does the design of a cell phone, toothbrush or couch affect your life? Did you ever stop to think about it? Director Gary Hustwit (”Helvetica”) looks at our complex relationship with manufactured objects, the people who design them and the creative process behind their work. Step inside the offices of the world’s most influential product designers to see how these objects influence us — often without our even knowing it. “Objectified” premieres on Independent Lens on Tuesday, November 24 at 10pm. Inside THIRTEEN spoke with director Gary Hustwit about the film.

Q. What got you interested in going “behind the scenes” into our relationship with everyday objects?

A. You know, sometimes I just look around my apartment and think, “Where did all this stuff come from? Who made it? Why did I buy all of it? Do I really need any of it?” Just basic questions that I think we all have sometimes. I also think it’s interesting how archaeologists learn about ancient civilizations mostly through the objects they leave behind. So 100 or 1,000 years from now, what will the objects designed in our lifetime say about our culture? And I was interested in the idea that we’re having a relationship with the people who design all this stuff, through the objects themselves. Maybe it’s just me, but these are the sort of ideas I obsess over!

Q. So is this a film for design nerds? What will a non-designer learn from your film?

A. Well, we all buy and consume these objects, from computers to cars to toothbrushes. So I think we can all benefit from learning about the creative processes and thinking of the people who design them. I think it’s amazing that there’s so little public discourse about the design of all these products. In the mass media, all we get are buying guides that tout the latest crop of gadgets or whatever, but no real discussion about whether or not these things should be made, or how they’re made, or how they’ll be disposed of once we’re done using them.

Q. Is there an object that you came across during filming that particularly inspired you?

A. What inspires me the most are probably the objects we take for granted and think of as the least “designed”. Have you even noticed those toothpicks with the serrated edges on one end? Do you know why they’re there, and what the story is behind them? Like Henry Ford once said, “Every object tells a story, if you know how to read it.” So I enjoy digging into these little stories behind the hundreds of objects we touch every day, that usually go unnoticed.

Q. One of the people you profile in the film has created some of the most familiar and ever-present designs in recent memory – Jonathan Ive, the designer of the iPod, iPhone, and a slew of Apple hardware. What is the source of his inspiration and creativity?

A. I think Ive embodies some of the qualities of craftsmen from hundreds of years ago, with his complete immersion in the materials and obsessive attention to detail. He’s also very focused on the manufacturing process, and the strengths and weaknesses of producing in huge volume. His team spends as much time designing the manufacturing systems that enable them to make the objects as they spend on designing the objects themselves. That’s not very glamorous, but probably a big part of Apple’s success.

Q. Objectified is the second film of a trilogy – can you tell us a bit about your first film (Helvetica) and your plans for the next film in the series?

A. I guess I just make films about things that I want to learn more about personally. Helvetica looked at the world of fonts and graphic design, which is a subject I’m fascinated by, and one that I couldn’t believe no one had done a proper documentary on. So I’m drawn to subjects that influence our lives, but that most of us don’t really think about. The third film will follow that idea as well, but I think it’s probably more ambitious than the first two films in terms of its scope. So I’m looking forward to showing it to THIRTEEN viewers a few years from now.

The artist Jeanne-Claude, who created the 2005 installation “The Gates” in Central Park with her husband Christo, has died at age 74. Her family says the artist died Wednesday night after suffering a brain aneurysm. “The Gates,” a series of metal archways bearing bright orange drapery, was viewed by more than five million people and is credited with bringing more than $250 million to the city’s economy.

Watch a interview with Christo and Jeanne-Claude about their 26-year effort to bring about “The Gates” on New York Voices.

Don’t miss the opportunity to ask questions of Niall Ferguson, the author and host of THE ASCENT OF MONEY.

Niall Ferguson, a financial historian and Harvard professor, will put the economic crisis of the past year in its historical context. His perspective of these economic cycles provides all of us with a better understanding of the world we are living in today.

The live Q&A begins on Tuesday, November 24 at 6pm EST. Ask your questions now.

This exclusive event was made possible by T. Rowe Price.

Many people have big dreams, but only a few bold adventurers live them. Denis Belliveau and Francis O’Donnell took a wild idea — retrace Marco Polo’s entire 25,000-mile, land-and-sea route from Venice to China and back — and spent two years of their lives making their dream a reality. “In the Footsteps of Marco Polo” chronicles the journey of Denis — a wedding photographer — and Francis — an artist and former Marine — as they set out to follow Polo’s historic route. “In the Footsteps of Marco Polo” airs Thursday, November 19 at 8 p.m. but you can also watch it online now. Inside THIRTEEN spoke with Denis and Francis about their incredible journey.

Q. So what made you and Denis decide to go on a 25,000-mile trip to retrace Marco Polo’s journey?

Francis: Well the main reason is that no one had ever retraced Marco Polo’s entire route, several Expeditions tried and failed for a lot of different reasons. Plus we love art, history, travel & adventure. What better way than to follow the path of the world’s greatest traveler? How often are you confronted with an opportunity like that?

Denis: Also there has always been controversy regarding Polo’s account. Even in his own lifetime he gained the nickname Il millione, which means the man of a million unbelievable stories! So we took his book and used it as our guide. What we would do is go to the city, place or town that Polo wrote about and try to find the things he mentioned seven hundred years ago, and see for ourselves whether his account rings true!
Read More …

Attorney General Eric Holder announced on Friday, November 13th that the federal government would prosecute Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the “mastermind” of the September 11 attacks, in a Manhattan courtroom. The decision has ignited a flurry of controversy here in the city. Both former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Gov. David Paterson have come out against the Obama administration’s plan in the past few days. Guiliani objects to a civilian trial of Mohammed; at an event in East Harlem today, Paterson said that “having those terrorists tried so close to the attack is going to be an encumbrance on all New Yorkers.”

So what do you think?

“Woody Guthrie: Ain’t Got No Home” airs Wednesday, November 25 at 9pm

Essentially every American who has listened to the radio or gone to summer camp knows Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land.” The music of the nation’s signature folk singer/songwriter has been recorded by everyone from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to the Irish rock band U2. Originally blowing out of the Dust Bowl in 1930s Depression-era America, he blended vernacular, rural music and populism to give voice to millions of downtrodden citizens. Guthrie’s prolific music, poetry and prose were politically leftist, uniquely patriotic and always inspirational. He joined music with traditional oral history and was central to the folk music revival. His is a complex story filled with frenetic creative energy and a treasure trove of cultural history - as well as personal imperfections and profound family tragedy.

Read a timeline of Woody Guthrie’s career and more at the American Masters website.

Watch a preview of “Woody Guthrie: Ain’t Got No Home” now:

“A Death in Tehran” premieres Tuesday, November 17 at 9pm on THIRTEEN

At the height of the protests following Iran’s controversial presidential election this summer, a young woman named Neda Agha Soltan was shot and killed on the streets of Tehran. Her death — filmed on a cameraphone, then uploaded to the web — quickly became an international outrage, and Agha Soltan became the face of a powerful movement that threatened the hard-line government’s hold on power. With the help of a unique network of correspondents in and out of the country, FRONTLINE investigates the life and death of the woman whose image remains a potent symbol for those who want to keep the reform movement alive. The film also explores a number of unanswered questions in the aftermath of the greatest upheaval in Iran since the 1979 revolution: How many were arrested and killed as the security forces attempted to contain the growing protest movement? To what extent was the presidential vote manipulated? What is the future of the movement that seems to have been silenced?

Watch a preview of “A Death in Tehran” now:

No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos tells the story of two Hungarian film students who escaped communist Hungary in 1956, with little more than a camera and a shopping bag full of film. Over the next 50 years, Laszlo Kovacs and Vilmos Zsigmond would reinvent Hollywood movies for an entire generation, shooting some of the most notable films in American cinematic history: The Deer Hunter; Close Encounters of the Third Kind; Deliverance; Paper Moon; Five Easy Pieces; What’s Up, Doc; New York, New York; Heaven’s Gate; Frances; and dozens more. The two also maintained an iron-clad friendship along the way.

No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos premieres on Independent Lens on Tuesday, November 17th at 9 p.m. Inside THIRTEEN spoke with the film’s director, James Chressanthis.

Q. Was it intimidating for you to film two men who practically defined a genre of American cinema?

A. Though I am an experienced cinematographer (2 Emmy® Nominations, Additional Photography on the Oscar-winning Chicago) it was a daunting task. I felt a great responsibility to get their story right while doing justice to their amazing canon of work.

Q. So why profile Laszlo and Vilmos? Why now?

A. I met Laszlo first as a student then apprenticed to Vilmos early in my career as a cinematographer. I saw them together during the filming of The Witches of Eastwick (1987) commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution and said to myself: “What an amazing story, someone should do that.” However, the stars and circumstances did not align until twenty years later when I decided to do the film in 2006. I believe their fiercely independent artistic approach, coupled with an optimistic faith in themselves, was the reason they had such an impact on American cinema. In their story, I believe young people can see a path to their own future in these uncertain times which is ripe for new innovative ways of making films.

Q. Laszlo and Vilmos worked on classics like Easy Rider, Deliverance, Paper Moon, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, to name a few … which of their films inspire you the most, and why?

A. McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Paper Moon, Close Encounters of The Third Kind, Frances, The Deer Hunter are some of my favorites. All share the trait of portraying unique individual stories without romanticizing their characters and without sentimentality. At their best, the films of both cinematographers achieve what Vilmos Zsigmond calls Poetic Realism.

Q. What challenges did you face making the film?

A. Dealing with the staggering number of masterpieces or notable films they each shot; structuring the film which has several layers/storylines: The Hungarian Revolution; the struggle of two outsider immigrants trying to achieve the American dream; the change in American cinema and how Laszlo & Vilmos were critical to the “American New Wave”; and most importantly the evolution of a deep friendship that spanned more than fifty years.

Q. How did you get access not only to Laszlo and Vilmos, but all the other big names featured in the film – Dennis Hopper, Peter Bogdanovich, Peter Fonda, Jon Voight, and others?

A. All these film artists have a great love of their craft and for their two colleagues and they were very generous with their time. All participants wished to correct the record, so that history will recognize the terrific contribution Laszlo & Vilmos made to our movies.

I wish to thank not only the those mentioned but also give a shout out to Sandra Bullock, John Williams, Richard Donner, Graeme Clifford, Allen Daviau, Owen Roizman, Haskell Wexler, Sharon Stone and the late “Grindhouse King” Ray Dennis Steckler. For me the unanticipated pleasure was having so many wonderful conversations with filmmakers I have been influenced by and admire.

For those that miss both this advanced screening and the November 25th broadcast on the anniversary of the attacks, the entire episode will be available online at pbs.org/secrets the following day.

Secrets of the Dead: MUMBAI MASSACRE

Please join us for a special press screening

THIRTEEN, in partnership with the New York chapter of the South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA), presents a special press screening of MUMBAI MASSACRE on Tuesday, Nov. 17th from 6 to 8:30 p.m., at the Columbia Journalism School
(third floor lecture hall) on 116th St. and Broadway (#1 train to 116th St.).

The event will begin with a one-hour screening of the film, followed by a panel discussion and Q&A from members of the media.

Panelists are:

Victoria Pitt, Writer/Director of the film
Jared Lipworth, Executive Producer, Secrets of the Dead
Todd Baer, Freelance Journalist - Al Jazeera English; covered Mumbai Massacre from Mumbai, Kashmir & Gujarat
Mira Kamdar, Author “Planet India” and Foreign Policy Analyst

Panel moderated by SAJA Co-founder Sree Sreenivasan,
Dean of Student Affairs, Columbia Graduate School of Journalism,
Contributing Editor DNAinfo.com

Light refreshments will be served before the screening

Kindly reply by November 16th to:
Jitin Hingorani at 212.560.6609 or HingoraniJ@wnet.org

Synopsis of MUMBAI MASSACRE

On November 26, 2008, 10 young Pakistani men sailed into Mumbai, India’s thriving financial heart and home of the Bollywood film industry. The men were armed with AK47s, grenades and plastic explosives, as well as satellite phones and global positioning systems connecting them to their controllers. They spread out across the city. Quick-fire strikes on the Victoria Station Railway Station, the busiest train terminus in India, the legendary Leopold Café and Cama Hospital saw more than a hundred dead in only an hour. But this was just the beginning. The gunmen had come for a longer engagement, in targets chosen to grab and hold the world’s attention: the historic Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel, the ultra-modern, five-star Trident-Oberoi Hotel and Nariman House, a Jewish Community center nearby. Sixty hours later, the Indian security forces brought the attacks to a close.

MUMBAI MASSACRE brings together candid and very personal accounts from the ordinary and extraordinary people who were caught up in the siege. Actual text of intercepted telephone calls between the gunmen and their commanders and CCTV footage from the hotels give a chilling, real-life edge to their stories. The film also explores the dramatic role that modern communications played: mobile phones, the internet and 24-hour television news gave vital information not just to those in hiding – but to the killers’ commanders in Pakistan.

The film airs on THIRTEEN’s Secrets of the Dead series on PBS stations nationwide on Wednesday, November 25, 2009 at 8 p.m. EST (check local listings), the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

THIRTEEN’s Secrets of the Dead: Mumbai Massacre was produced by Electric Pictures and Furnace for THIRTEEN in association with WNET.ORG, Screen Australia, ScreenWest Inc., Channel 4 (UK), The History Channel UK and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Victoria Pitt is writer/director, Andrew Ogilvie is executive producer for Electric Pictures and Phil Craig is executive producer for Furnace. At THIRTEEN, Jared Lipworth is executive producer. William R. Grant is executive-in-charge.